Jaylen Brown Reportedly Leaked Information to Interested Teams as Jayson Tatum Breaks Silence After Trade

Former Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown is now a Philadelphia 76er, but NBA writer Zach Lowe revealed that the 2024 NBA Champion might have influenced the trade behind the scenes. Brown's trade saga ended very quickly, with almost no reports of him being linked to other teams. Lowe's report hints that Brown's own preferences might have tilted the scales.

The lack of reports does not imply a lack of interest. Some teams wanted Brown, but the 2024 Finals MVP might have nudged things toward a direction he preferred by simply letting the teams know his disinterest. Lowe spoke about this on his podcast, The Zach Lowe Show.

“I think there was at least one or two other teams who might have been interested in Jaylen Brown and who got intel that Jaylen Brown wasn’t interested in them and to maybe stay out of the bidding. I think Boston felt the circle closing.”

The specific teams that received such info were not listed, but an earlier report from NBA Insider Brett Siegel named the Portland Trail Blazers among them. Teams like the Denver Nuggets, Charlotte Hornets, and Houston Rockets reportedly placed calls per a June HoopsHyper report, but no deal could be made because Boston had asked for a star along with draft compensation.

He was eventually traded to the Sixers in exchange for veteran Paul George and several draft picks. Brown is not that far removed from winning the Finals MVP (2024), and he had just come off his statistically best season yet.

In 2025, he posted the best scoring and assists output of his career so far, averaging 28.7 points and 5.1 assists per game through 71 regular season outings. 2024 saw him average 22.2 points in 63 games. Numbers that justified why he was being shopped for a two-time MVP like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Another interesting aspect of his trade saga, aside from teams being told to take a step back apparently, was the obvious silence from his longtime teammate, Jayson Tatum.

Jayson Tatum Speaks Up About the Jaylen Brown Trade

During the whole time that Jaylen Brown was on the trading block, fans noticed that Jayson Tatum had remained quiet. Some people started wondering what he thought about it and if he would eventually say something.

When he was finally dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers, Tatum posted a message to his longtime teammate on his Instagram Stories.

"9 years! Forever grateful for all that we accomplished together, for pushing me to be a better player. From first-round exits to winning a chip together, I’m thankful for it all. Nothing but love and respect for you as a player and as a person."

Now, he has spoken up some more about his emotions regarding the trade.

In an article by Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell, Tatum referred to losing teammates to the business side of the league as a massive downside. He also said that Brown's trade gave him newfound appreciation for the time they shared together.

"It's tough. But it makes you appreciate the moments and time that we had. Obviously it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn't mean it wasn't super successful."

Tatum and Brown led the Celtics to multiple deep postseason runs, including a Finals trip in 2022 and a title in 2024.

With Brown moving on, though, it might be time for the front office to look for a new running mate for Jayson Tatum.